Best New Product Buys

There are hundreds of fresh and exciting products out there. Innovative diabetes supplies are hitting the market all the time. Here’s a sampling of some of the new stuff you can get.

After you’ve drawn blood, tested it, and injected insulin, what to you do with the disposable tools you’ve utilized? Becton Dickinson Company’s B-D Home Sharps Container is your answer. This container is designed for convenient, safe disposal of potentially hazardous material. It is leak-proof, puncture-resistant, and FDA approved. The B-D Home Sharps Container has a secure snap-on lid and a small opening on top that discourages children from reaching inside. The container is red and clearly marked with the biohazard symbol. For information on the B-D Home Sharps Container or any other Becton Dickinson products, call (800) 237-4554.

Another option for sharps disposal is the Med-Safe Insulin Syringe and Lancet Disposal System. This is an aesthetically pleasing container that provides safe and discreet disposal of hazardous materials. It is constructed of the same heavy-duty plastic used in hospital disposal systems and holds up to 100 insulin syringes and lancets. The Med-Safe system allows objects to be locked securely inside its decorative cover. Med-Safe Systems, Inc. can be reached at (800) 268-2001.

An innovator in the same field is BFI Medical Waste Systems, offering a simple and environmentally-responsible syringe and lancet disposal method: the BFI Safe Syringe Disposal System. Used supplies are placed in convenient, hard plastic containers. When containers are full,they are returned to the pharmacy in which they were purchased, and deposited in hospital-standard waste containers maintained and disposed of by the pharmacist This cooperative operation between customer and pharmacist insures proper and safe syringe disposal, a benefit to the community and customer both.

Many stores will begin selling “generic” Monoject syringes. The product will be marketed under the individual store’s name. Can-Am Care (800-461-7448), the distributor of Monoject products,”is the only company selling customized store brand syringes,” says its president Robert Oringer.

When you feel an insulin reaction coming on, you want to get a quick sugar fix. Insta-Glucose is the easiest way to get the sugar you need. Just twist off the top and swallow the cherry-flavored, pre-measured dose. No hunting around for something sweet, no hassle. Since Insta-Glucose has a three-year shelf life you can keep it handy at all times. Insta-Glucose provides 24 grams of carbohydrates and 96 calories. A package of three tubes costs around $12.50. For more information, call (800) 654-1565.

Novel Electronics of Minneapolis has come up with a device that can help identify early symptoms of neuropathy and assist in diabetes-friendly shoe design. The Emedsystem measures pressure points on flat and curved objects-everything from your car’s tires to your little toe. Data collected by the Emedsystem can be stored on a personal computer and printed in comprehensive full color. For more information call Novel Electronics at (612) 332-8605 or fax them at (612) 332-8606.

Traditional wound dressing can be messy and painful, as well as damaging to tissues. Ferris Mfg. Corp. of Burr Ridge, Ill., has developed a new material called Polymem. The company describes its invention as “a complete wound care system.” Wounds dressed with Polymem do not require further cleaning with solutions like saline, antiseptics, and ointment. Instead, Polymem has a built-in cleanser and moisturizer which prevents the wound from drying out. The material also has an absorbing agent which draws fluid and nutrients into the wound, creating a natural healing environment. Polymem does not need to be changed as frequently as other dressings, and since it has a non-adherent membrane and leaves no residue, it lifts free from the wound. This prevents tissue damage and unnecessary pain. Polymem actually promotes wound fluid output, a healthy aid to the healing process. Another benefit of dressing a wound with Polymem is that the material promotes the disintegration of necrotic tissue, facilitating natural and painless debridement. For more information call Ferris at (800) 633-2399, or fax them at (708) 887-1008.

Your shoes can be your best friends-but poorly fitted shoes can cause ulcers on your feet and lead to serious complications. P.W. Minor and Son, Inc. has developed the Xtra Depth Shoe. The shoes are specially designed to prevent pressure and rubbing. They are constructed to allow for the insertion of removable inlays and personal orthotics. Xtra Depth Shoes come in more than 80 styles, including the Thermold model. This shoe is especially beneficial to people with diabetes because it is lined with a patented moldable material called Plastamold. When you put on the Thermold shoe it begins to mold to your foot immediately. This custom fit eliminates gaps and pressure points, leading to safer, more comfortable walking. You can get more information by writing: P.W. Minor & Son, 3 Treadeasy Avenue, P.O. Box 678, Batavia, NY 14021-0678.

Terumo Medical Corporation of Somerset, NJ, offers the only 0.25cc syringe for patients on low dose therapy. It is also the only insulin syringe available with half-unit markings for extra precision. Terumo syringes have a 29 gauge needle, which is double-beveled for extra comfort. Because of the thin needle and sharp point, less pressure is required for injection. Call Terumo at (800) 283-7866 or fax them at (908) 302-3083.

Another aid for people who inject insulin is the Medi-Jector. This needle-free system offers comfort and convenience-doses can be administered with one hand. The Medi-Jector needs to be cleaned just twice per month and has no needles to dispose of. Safe for the environment and for those worried about accidental needle sticks. The Medi-Jector costs about $595 and is covered by many insurance plans. Call Medi-Ject at (800) 328-3074 for more details.

Intermittent claudication, a symptom of arterial disease, is something that afflicts many people with diabetes. The disorder generally affects patients over 50 with type II diabetes, especially those who smoke or have hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or coronary artery disease. Intermittent claudication is usually marked by cold feet, burning, tingling or numbness, hair loss, skin changes, and delayed healing. Now there is an effective therapy for those suffering from intermittent claudication. The drug Trental (pentoxifylline) offers relief for many people by increasing blood flow through the capillaries. Trental is given along with a program of exercise and low-fat diet. The overall goal of Trental administration is lessened pain in walking, leading to greater mobility. Trental is manufactured by Hoechst-Roussel Pharmaceuticals of Somerville, N.J.. Talk to your doctor about the benefits this drug may offer to you.

In the past, to get accurate A1c readings, doctors had to deal with lengthy analyses. Thanks to DiaStat, a new device from Bio-Rad, results can be available in ten minutes. Unlike blood glucose or urine tests, A1c testing is not a short-term indicator of control. Instead, this test provides physicians with average blood sugar concentrations over several weeks. DiaStat is convenient, fully automated, and gives results five times faster than manual methods. DiaStat is available through Bio-Rad Laboratories at (800) 227-1600.

But A1c tests are not just done during visits to the doctor. Now you can do it at home with the Hemoglobin A1c Home Collection Kit from Diabetes Support Systems Inc. All that is required for an accurate result is a finger stick totaling 5Âµl blood. DSS offers a 24-hour helpline to assist patients in their testing. For details about the Home Collection Kit, call the company at (800) 252-0207.

Cascade Medical Inc. has introduced the Checkmate Plus blood glucose monitoring system. This meter requires no wiping, blotting, or timing and features a built-in lancing device. The Checkmate Plus also displays prompts in six languages-English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, and Dutch. The meter stores 255 test results in memory with time and date as well as insulin data and activity markers.

For many men with diabetes, impotence is a serious concern. Because of diminished blood circulation, it can become difficult or impossible to enjoy normal sexual activities. However, experts say that virtually all cases of impotence are treatable. Encore, Inc. in Louisville, K.Y. is offering a guaranteed method for producing and maintaining sexual function. The Vacuum Therapy Unit (VTU) System is FDA regulated and Medicare approved. The VTU System costs between $60 and $280 depending on which model you choose. This is considerably less expensive than other less effective therapies. The VTU System must be prescribed by your physician. For more information about how the system works and which model might be right for you, call Encore, at (502) 499-1556, or you can fax them at (502) 499-1840.

LifeScan has introduced a new lancet called the Unistik 2. This lancet is available in regular (2.4mm) or deep (3.0mm) penetration and is easy to use. For more information call LifeScan’s 24-hour Customer Service line at (800) 524-7226.

Palco Laboratories of Santa Cruz, Calif. has also developed a new lancet. The Ez-Lets II is a safe, quick, and efficient lancet that is good for personal use or health professional use. Call Palco at (800) 346-4488.

Owen Mumford is introducing their latest development in auto-injection technology, the Autoject 2. Simple to use and fully automatic, the autoject 2 is fitted with a unique safety lock which prevents accidental discharge. Two models are available-one for use with fixed needle syringes in various sizes, the other for a non-fixed syringe. Medication is delivered at the touch of a button, and an observation window shows when the injection is complete. Comes with a compact carrying case. For more information, call 01993 812021 or fax 01993 813466 (in England), or write to Owen Mumford, Inc., 849 Pickens Industrial Drive, Suite 12 Marietta, G.A. 30062.

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